Rorschach's Death
by Mercwiththegun
Summary: One Shot


November 2nd, 1985

Rorschach... Always so numb. But, when that Arctic air hit him, he couldn't help but, shiver. Rorschach looked ahead starting his long journey. A journey he knew he wouldn't complete. Rorschach knew. He knew leaving Veidt's office the other night. Rorschach didn't have much longer in this world. He had no regrets. He was ready. And, there was that voice behind him. Manhattan.

"Where are you going?"

Rorschach glanced back at the blue man from over his shoulder. Not much longer... Finally, the curtain was coming down over the train wreck that had been his life. Rorschach turned his head away from Manhattan once more. He stared off into space as he spoke. "Back to the owlship. Back to America... Evil must be punished. People must be told..." The freezing wind blew again causing another shiver to run down his spine. The feeling was so foreign to him. It was a feeling Walter Kovacs had gotten multiple times... So very long ago. But, Rorschach was able to keep calm.

"Rorschach..." Manhattan's voice. It was calm just as Rorschach's. But, softer than Rorschach's harsh voice. "You know I can't let you do that." Humorous. How casually they were talking about this. The world's gone to hell. Thousands killed. They want to remained quiet. Live with the burden of the truth... Living with compromise... Not Rorschach. He turned to finally meet Manhattan's gaze. He never liked looking at the blue man. That was for obvious reasons. Ah, look. He had his hand at the ready. To strike Rorschach down. He waited a moment. Waiting for it to end... But, it didn't come. So, Rorschach continued.

"Suddenly, you discover humanity..." Rorschach wanted to get this over with. He knew an end was coming. And, if he was going out he was going out his way. "Convenient..."

Rorschach waited for the end once more. This time a few seconds longer. Nothing. His way. This would end Rorschach's way. Another, unfamiliar feeling seeded in Rorschach's stomach. He wasn't quite sure what to call this one. He stared at Manhattan. He was just as responsible as Veidt was for this. He wasn't able to look into the eyes of the thousands of people /he/ killed. Manhattan was going to look into his eyes when he killed him. If, anything Manhattan was more responsible than Veidt. This could have been prevented. Rorschach ripped the mask looking straight into Manhattan's eyes. Staring into his soul. Manhattan was staring right back.

"If, you'd cared from the start. None of this would have happened..." Rorschach spat. Anger starting to boil over. Starting to lose his cool he was so known to keep. He was shaking now... Why was he shaking? Rorschach wasn't scared... He hadn't lost his temper to such an extend to be shaking... Another, feeling Rorschach hadn't felt... In... In a long time. Manhattan paused and was silent. It was only a few seconds of silence but, it felt like years. Finally, he spoke.

"I can change almost anything..." Another paused. Longer than the first one. Rorschach was losing grip on his patience every pasting moment. Manhattan disgusted him. Made his skin crawl. "But, I can't change human nature." Rorschach hated his fucking guts.

Rorschach let a low scoff escape his lips. Shaking his head he decided to be finished with his little chat. He was ready. "Of course, you must protect Veidt's new Utopia... One more body amongst foundations makes little difference." Rorschach waited once more. For it all to end... Rorschach was shaking more violently now. Hidden slightly by his trench coat. For the fifth time it didn't come. Rorschach's breathing got a little heavier. It wasn't the heavy breathing after beating a rapist skull in. It wasn't the heavy breathing after escaping the police... It was the heavy breathing after crying as a child... A feeling from the past that was all too familiar.

"What are you waiting for?" That harsh, stern voice finally breaking... After all these years... "Do it..." Rorschach whispered feeling a single tear fighting to escape. There was something in Manhattan's eyes as well... Guilt perhaps... Rorschach felt himself shaking worst than before. Another surge of anger flowing through him. Lived a life without compromise... The tear was finally rolling down his cheek... No regrets... "DO IT!"

There was a flash of light.

And, then there was nothing...


End file.
